3/5 stars

eARC provided by NetGalley

I really struggled with this book. The biggest positive is that it is written really well. While the story it self was not really for me I can see how people would like this story. The title of this book I feel like does not represent the actual story. It should be A Serial Killer's Guide to Parenthood. Seeing as that is the thing that caused them to change their lifestyle. They were married and living their best lives and then had a kid and that changed everything for them. While a lot was happening it also felt like nothing was really happening. This story heavily relies on the miscommunication trope. For me personally it just annoyed me more then anything. The twist at the end I did not like at all. The story builds to this big scene and then the ending lets that tension just fall away. Doing something that to me did not track with the story. Also the "they kill bad people that makes them good" was to heavily relied on in this story for me. It was suppose to make us like them but it just kind of annoyed me as we kept going. They are Serial Killers, that what I am here for. I did not really get that from this story. It also was pretty repetitive. I do not know if I recommend this specific story but I am interest in this authors other work as I do think they are a good writer. This story was just not for me.

Review: 2.5 Stars rounded up

The premise of a former serial-killer couple settling into suburban life sounded like a darkly funny, thrilling ride, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t work for me.

Neither Hazel nor Fox felt particularly likable, which made it hard to connect with them. Fox’s POVs were far more engaging, but Hazel dominated the story, and her chapters often dragged. The pacing was uneven—slow for most of the book, only picking up at the very end.

I usually love dark humor, but the tone here felt off and forced. The constant miscommunication between Hazel and Fox was frustrating and seemed to drive the plot more than genuine tension.

While the premise had promise, the story fell flat for me. Thank you, NetGalley and Bantam, for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley & Bantam for an eARC ♥️

Meet Hazel and Fox, a suburban couple with a baby and a whole lot of baggage. They used to be serial killers, but they've "retired" to live a normal life.
Hazel's going stir-crazy in the 'burbs, missing the rush of their old life. Fox, on the other hand, is loving every minute of fatherhood. But when Hazel's old habits come back to haunt her, their carefully constructed life starts to unravel.
What follows is a wild ride of cat-and-mouse, dark humor, and a healthy dose of satire. I loved how the author pokes fun at suburban life while still delivering a thriller that's both suspenseful and thought-provoking.
The writing is razor-sharp, with characters that are both fascinating and terrifying. Hazel's inner monologue is hilarious and disturbing at the same time, making her one of the most unique and complex characters I've encountered in a while.🔥

This one's a must-read for fans of twisted thrillers, dark humor, and satire! If you're looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you laugh out loud, this is the perfect choice.

This was a usual take on married life. And I liked it.

If you remove the serial killing from the plot, there’s still a story about marriage and communication and putting in the effort, etc. The serial murdering added an interesting and unpredictable element to the story.

I could take or leave Fox but I really liked Haze as a narrator, which is surprising giving the whole serial killing. But I liked that she was more than that. The author took the time to make her a real person, not just someone to serve the unusual plot. I appreciated that a lot.

It kind of leaves it where you could see a spin off and I’d read it if that’s the case.

1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an advanced copy of A Serial Killer’s Guide To Marriage.

Hazel and Fox have a young daughter and a picture perfect life from the outside. When in reality they are both serial killers, but they “retired” when they became parents. But they are both doing things behind the other’s back and they start to question whether they can trust each other. Will there whole world come crashing down on them?

I was not a fan of the writing style or of the characters in this book. It was also way too long and really drug out. This fell flat for me.

I really enjoyed this! A really interesting concept with a serial killer couple, it reminds me of Butcher and Blackbird but with less spice and more thrills. While some parts of the story were slow , I was interested until the very end. I would definitely recommend this book if you thrillers with a touch a humor!

This is by far the most interesting and unique thriller I have ever read. I am not usually the biggest thriller person, but this one was so literary and funny and I am obsessed. Both Fox and Haze are so likably-unlikable that it made every concerning thing they do so intriguing. I really liked the way the book was broken up into parts, as well as how Haze and Fox’s relationship spiraled throughout the book. The whole vibe of it kinda reminded me of Butcher and Blackbird if it leaned more into the thriller aspect than the romance.

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine for the advanced copy!

I would first describe this to others, without mentioning the title, that this is a great book about marriage in general and dealing with losing parts of yourself in order to raise your children. All completely relatable things. Until you get to the killing. Maybe not so relatable then 😆.

This is the third book I’ve read recently about a woman serial killer (only killing bad guys of course), and I AM HERE FOR IT. There’s something almost comforting about thinking of a world where bad guys didn’t get away with shit. That if the law couldn’t provide justice, someone else would step in and ensure that. So I’m already rooting for Haze and Fox. And let me tell you, I loved this couple. I loved Haze’s antisocial and blunt but hilarious personality, knowing she was a softie at heart. And Fox just seemed like an actual hero to me.

I loved learning the origins of their killing and their relationship, and then comparing it to their relationship in the present day. The thrill didn’t really come until the end, but I loved how everything came together then. I was worried I wasn’t going to like the ending, but it did not disappoint! I would absolutely love it if this had more books continue where this left off, so I’m crossing my fingers that happens. Pick this one up and maybe my wish will come true!

This is a quirky mystery about a husband and wife (Fox and Hazel) who are serial killers of bad people (similar to Dexter), but who decide to try to give up their “hobby.” What follows is a lot of information about both Fox and Hazel’s past as well as how effectively their attempts to change course goes. While this was all interesting and did keep me turning the pages (and I did like the plot twist at the end), I found that the story really dragged at points and was perhaps too drawn out for its own good. Nonetheless, I did enjoy this read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

3.25 ⭐️'s

This one was a fun read! And I liked the premise of the book!

I think at times the dialogue seemed to be trying too hard and the characters almost seemed forced. I really liked the side character of Jenny and watching the friendship grow and evolve.

I felt the middle of story was a little slow but I really enjoyed the way everything tied up at the end! The last 20% of the book was gripping and I really enjoyed!

It's a fun little take on a romance between married main characters and the struggles that come with marriage and the ups and downs that are inevitable.

This book drew me in on the very first page. I was really looking forward to getting something similar to what I got in Butcher & Blackbird but this was actually quite different. Although I didn’t mind our main characters I never once felt like they were “good” people. Which was okay because their flaws felt like a direct product of how they were raised. I only wish we saw a little more from Fox’s POV. At the end I felt all his explanations were rushed. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book!

Asia Mackay’s A Serial Killer’s Guide to Marriage had me intrigued from the title alone. A husband-and-wife duo who moonlight as killers? Yes, please! The story follows Fox and Mia, a couple with a deadly hobby that’s managed to keep their marriage alive and thriving—because nothing says “relationship goals” like joint murder sprees. Marketed as satire, it promised humor and sharp commentary, but for me, it didn’t quite hit the mark.

I went in hoping for Dexter-style antics, but instead, I got a slow-burn roller coaster of build-ups that fizzled out just as quickly. Each chapter dangled a juicy carrot, only to snatch it away at the end. I waited (and waited) for that big payoff, and while the finale finally delivered something intriguing, it felt like Fox swooped in out of nowhere with a hasty attempt to tie it all together. “Mmm, what’s going on here?” I asked myself more than once.

That said, I have to admit, I did like the ending. It was enough to bump my rating up to a solid 3 stars. Maybe I wasn’t the target audience for this kind of satire, but hey—I gave it a shot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the premise of a married couple managing to be serial killers. I always thought that would be better done by one person (Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead)

But I felt like the book is bogged down as this isn't an active serial killer couple. They're retired and in suburbia which means we need to hear about what it used to be like when they killed while they're both miserable in the present.

I still absolutely loved Hazel and her rage against misogyny. It was great to see her grow through the book too. Fox, on the other hand, felt flat.

If the concept seems fun to you, you'll probably enjoy the book. Thanks to Netgalley & Bantam for the e-copy.

3.5/5

Serial Killers who kill bad people, is becoming it's own Trope. Yet, There are Authors who can take it and make it all their own. Asia Mackay does that with Hazel and Fox. A Married Couple who just happened to be a “retired” Serial Killers trying to make a “normal” life for their daughter. The writing brilliantly gives us these dark themes while adding humor and heart to the story. They felt real and relatable while being neither of those things. I rarely compare my feeling to that of a Serial Killer. I found myself thinking, “ Same, Girl” to so many of Hazel's thoughts. Probably more than I should. :) JK. I loved the Ending. I can't wait to read more from Mackay.

Thank you to NetGalley, Asia Mackay, and Bantam Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an Honest Review. Thank you for making that so easy.

Such an entertaining and fun mystery - this was a different and unique read compared to others in the genre and enjoyed the story.

She wants to have it all...

...but her husband wants to give it all up. Will their marriage survive?

Hazel, who goes by Haze, had an alcoholic mother and bounced around from foster home to foster home growing up in England. The people she met, particularly the men, at best let her down and at worst tried to hurt her. She found refuge in creating art into which she could channel her many tumultuous emotions, and in killing men who deserved it. Then she met Fox, son of powerful and wealthy American parents who grew up with every advantage and possessed a trust fund to support his lifestyle. He never felt that he fit in to the elite circles in which his family operated, and he too found an outlet for the impulses inside him....he killed those who harmed others. When they met over a dead body (one of her victims, not his), they felt that they had met their soul mates. Soon they were traveling all over Europe, working together to kill those who in their opinion needed killing. Fox had a cooler head in matters, helping to rein in Haze's red-hot rage and keep her safe. All was perfect until Haze got pregnant with their daughter Bibi. Soon they were living in a lovely house in a suburban town, focused on staying away from their killing ways . It is a pact that Haze resents....she genuinely misses the satisfaction and release that the killings gave her, but Fox seems to her to have become a stranger. He seems perfectly fine having given up their unusual (and illegal) sideline, and is hyper-focused on keeping "his girls" safe. Eating non-organic food and risking acts that could get the couple sent to prison and Bibi into the foster system? Equally unthinkable to Fox. But as Haze becomes increasingly unhappy trying to turn herself into one of the local yummy mummies she and Fox have stopped communicating and their marriage is in real jeopardy. When one of them does the unthinkable, is not only their marriage but also their freedom in jeopardy?
This is a darkly funny page-turner that is a sort of mash-up of Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Dexter, likely to appeal to fans of either. The two main protagonists take the reality of how one's life changes when you have a child to new extremes....neighborhood dinners, Peppa Pig and mummy-and-me classes instead of hot sex and exotic travel is, after all, quite a change. The problem for Haze and Fox is of course the same that it is for most new parents, a lack of communication and a suppression of resentments as they try to do parenthood the way they are "supposed to", except that for them they are also giving up a long-standing practice that met their respective needs but happened to be criminal. Haze finds herself making friends with the neediest member of Bibi's playgroup (who just happens to work for the police) and things at home are spiraling out of control. They are clearly heading for a major blow-up and the secrets each has been hiding are about to explode. If a reader can accept the pretty out-there premise of two serial killers marrying and settling down in suburbia to raise their child, then its an entertaining read in many ways. I didn't find Haze or Fox particularly likable, but learned enough about their past to at least explain somewhat why they are the way they are. Readers of Julie Mae Cohen's Bad Men, Jeff Lindsay's Dexter series, and other authors like Jessie Garcia might want to pick up a copy of this latest in the "good kind of serial killer" fiction. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Bantam Books for allowing me early access to a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was expecting this book to be kind of a Finlay Donovan-esque type of book with zany situations and humor, but it was very different and honestly I’m not mad about it at all! I LOVED THIS BOOK. This is such a good look at marriage, parenthood and finding ways to stay ourselves through major life changes. While most people aren’t serial killers, I think many can relate to how overwhelming and all consuming parenting can be and how you lose a bit of yourself in it, for better or worse and also how your marriage can change once you’re not just a duo anymore. I loved that we got both Haze and Fox’s POVs and how you could see the misunderstandings and miscommunications between them happening. I think this is a book that will have people divided with their feelings, but I certainly enjoyed it. When I wasn’t reading it, I was itching to get back to it. I REALLY hope there’s a sequel because I’d love to see these characters again!
Mini spoiler: nothing bad happens to the dog!

CW: murder, violence, suicide, death, mentions of sexual abuse, mentions of child abuse,

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for an advanced digital readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 STARS

Double life, secret identity, dark humor, retired criminals, thrilling

Written by Asia Mackay, A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage follows retired serial killers Hazel and Fox. Married, living together, and raising their first daughter, their life is anything but perfect. Hazel and Fox made a pact not to kill anyone in order to protect their daughter. Hazel fights the urge every day, and it takes a toll on their marriage. Until one day... that pact is broken.

This book made me laugh out loud! It was funny, tense, and oddly relatable! The characters, serial killers aside, experienced marriage troubles like every other couple. They miscommunicated, avoided communication, went through dry spells, and became roommates. This book highlighted pitfalls of marriage in the most entertaining way possible. Mackay did an excellent job of discussing heavy topics in a light way. There were also some parts where Hazel struggled with motherhood. As a mom, I could relate to how she felt at times with what we sacrifice for our kids. Sometimes we lose parts of ourselves to motherhood. Hazel is a strong-willed, resilient, feminist character. There was a lot of depth in her character, and she was definitely my favorite! Fox is a loving, concerned, and devoted father/husband. Don't be fooled! They both have a dark side. However, their dark side consisted of hunting inherently evil men. They were such complex characters. The book was well-paced, and I enjoyed the dual POV aspect of the book. I was obsessed with the quotes in the beginning of each part. I loved the ending and the way the book wrapped up. It was not at all what I would have predicted! If you enjoy dark humor, romance, thrillers, and satire, I highly recommend you read this book!

This is an HONEST review, and all opinions in this review are MY OWN. Thank you so much Asia Mackay and NetGalley for the opportunity to experience these characters early.

Fun and fast-paced darkly comic thriller perfect for fans of Dexter, My Lovely Wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Hazel and Fox are just your typical married couple with a kid. He's rich, she grew up poor. What they had in common was that they used to be serial killers. But Hazel is finding it harder and harder not to go back to her old ways.

If you're like, "huh? unlikeable characters?" it's not really like that as Hazel and Fox only killed people who deserved it.

This dual POV book switches between his and her perspective as she wrestles with guilt and he tries to deal with his very rich, meddling family and figure out what Hazel is up to.

Not the most memorable book ever, but a fun and page turning read.

This was my most anticipated book for 2025. I really really really wanted to love this book, i really tried but i was so bored which is so sad for me cause I wanted to love it. The premise intrigued me so much, it was such a good premise.

It seems this book was just hazel and fox complaining about how unhappy they are and how they love their baby but wants to kill. Their problems were mostly be able to be solved if they just spoke?

The plot was not much of a plot. It didn’t read like a psychological thriller at all. I really wanted to love it, genuinely. I WAS so excited but it fell really short.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House publishing group - Ballantine for providing me with an advanced copy in return for an honest review!